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CATHERINE W GICHUKI
DOHA
Minister of Public Health HE Dr Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari has said that Qatar’s healthcare system is well prepared to meet the demands of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
The minister was speaking at the opening ceremony of Qatar Health 2022 and 2nd Qatar Public Health Virtual Conference titled, ‘Preparing for the 2022 World Cup and the Response to Pandemics in Qatar’. World Health Organisation (WHO) Director- General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) Secretary General Hassan Al Thawadi and Conference co-chair Dr Abdulwahad Al Musleh also spoke at the event.
“In just 284 days Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup 2022. The coming months will be an incredibly exciting period for everyone living in Qatar as preparations intensify for the FIFA World Cup 2022. As healthcare workers, we have an extra-ordinary important role to play. This will bring with it added pressures and this is an opportunity we find something truly special and I know that like me, you are approaching this challenge with enthusiasm and excitement,” Dr Al Kuwari said.
She reiterated that Qatar’s healthcare teams have been preparing for the tournament for many years. They have been involved in large scale tournaments hosted in Doha, including the 2019 FIFA Arab World Cup, IAAF World Athletics Championships 2019 as well as the recent FIFA Arab Cup.
“Our teams now have experience in delivering services for major events and gatherings in Qatar, and I am confident that we are well prepared to meet the demands of the FIFA World Cup 2022,” she added.
Dr Al Kuwari said the recent partnerships they signed with WHO, FIFA and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy on the 18th of October 2021, they ensured that they were collaboratively with global partners on promoting health and creating legacy for future mega sport events.
“While we hope that COVID-19 pandemic will pose less of a threat to the world at the time the tournament begins, our plans will mitigate COVID-19-associated risks, thanks to the incredible efforts of our healthcare staff over the past 2 years.”
Dr Al Kuwari said that Qatar was in a strong position to successfully deliver the FIFA World Cup 2022. “We are now coming out of the third wave of the pandemic in Qatar and this conference offers an opportunity to reflect on the last 2 years.”
“Qatar has implemented a comprehensive COVID-19 strategy to protect its population from the threat of the virus. Our hospitals significantly expanded the bed capacity to ensure every patient with COVID-19 has been able to receive the care they need without delay. Our laboratories acted swiftly to enhance capacity so that they can deliver up to 40,000 PCR tests per day, among the highest testing rate in the world,” she said, adding that “We have ensured that the most vulnerable members in our society are protected and receive continuity of care. Most notable the elderly and those with chronic diseases through the introduction of telemedicine and home delivery services as well as educational support.”
The minister said that the rapid rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme has ensured Qatar’s population has high levels of immunity from the virus where 87 percent of Qatar’s population has received two doses of the vaccine and approximately 1 million booster doses have been administered.
She said that these are examples of some of the measures that have been central to Qatar’s having one of the lowest COVID-19 mortality rates in the world as well one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates. COVID-19 has put a global spotlight on the importance of public health.
She said that even via Qatar Public Health Strategy, Qatar has made great progress on a wide of areas which play an important role in Qatar’s COVID-19 strategy in the upcoming World Cup –health protection and communicable disease, health promotion and non-communicable diseases, food safety and environmental health and other public health priority areas.
The minister said that she was proud of the way Qatar’s dedicated healthcare teams have risen to the challenge time and again to ensure that all patients receive the highest standard of care.
Under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar, the minister said, “I am confident that we have the expertise, experience and commitment within our healthcare community to achieve our goals.”
For his part Ghebreyesus said, along with Olympic Games, the World Cup is one of the world’s biggest events bringing people and nations together in celebration and competition. This World Cup comes with unique challenges being held against the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic. In preparation for the World Cup, WHO has worked with Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health to develop a programme of simulation exercises and views for mass gatherings. It focuses on stringent preparedness, health security, infectious diseases, food safety, coordination and communication. The lessons learnt from Qatar’s experience during this World Cup will help us all in designing health and safety measures for other large scale events.”
He further said, “It is a privilege to work with FIFA and Qatar in support of WHO’s mission to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.”
DOHA
Minister of Public Health HE Dr Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari has said that Qatar’s healthcare system is well prepared to meet the demands of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
The minister was speaking at the opening ceremony of Qatar Health 2022 and 2nd Qatar Public Health Virtual Conference titled, ‘Preparing for the 2022 World Cup and the Response to Pandemics in Qatar’. World Health Organisation (WHO) Director- General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) Secretary General Hassan Al Thawadi and Conference co-chair Dr Abdulwahad Al Musleh also spoke at the event.
“In just 284 days Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup 2022. The coming months will be an incredibly exciting period for everyone living in Qatar as preparations intensify for the FIFA World Cup 2022. As healthcare workers, we have an extra-ordinary important role to play. This will bring with it added pressures and this is an opportunity we find something truly special and I know that like me, you are approaching this challenge with enthusiasm and excitement,” Dr Al Kuwari said.
She reiterated that Qatar’s healthcare teams have been preparing for the tournament for many years. They have been involved in large scale tournaments hosted in Doha, including the 2019 FIFA Arab World Cup, IAAF World Athletics Championships 2019 as well as the recent FIFA Arab Cup.
“Our teams now have experience in delivering services for major events and gatherings in Qatar, and I am confident that we are well prepared to meet the demands of the FIFA World Cup 2022,” she added.
Dr Al Kuwari said the recent partnerships they signed with WHO, FIFA and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy on the 18th of October 2021, they ensured that they were collaboratively with global partners on promoting health and creating legacy for future mega sport events.
“While we hope that COVID-19 pandemic will pose less of a threat to the world at the time the tournament begins, our plans will mitigate COVID-19-associated risks, thanks to the incredible efforts of our healthcare staff over the past 2 years.”
Dr Al Kuwari said that Qatar was in a strong position to successfully deliver the FIFA World Cup 2022. “We are now coming out of the third wave of the pandemic in Qatar and this conference offers an opportunity to reflect on the last 2 years.”
“Qatar has implemented a comprehensive COVID-19 strategy to protect its population from the threat of the virus. Our hospitals significantly expanded the bed capacity to ensure every patient with COVID-19 has been able to receive the care they need without delay. Our laboratories acted swiftly to enhance capacity so that they can deliver up to 40,000 PCR tests per day, among the highest testing rate in the world,” she said, adding that “We have ensured that the most vulnerable members in our society are protected and receive continuity of care. Most notable the elderly and those with chronic diseases through the introduction of telemedicine and home delivery services as well as educational support.”
The minister said that the rapid rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme has ensured Qatar’s population has high levels of immunity from the virus where 87 percent of Qatar’s population has received two doses of the vaccine and approximately 1 million booster doses have been administered.
She said that these are examples of some of the measures that have been central to Qatar’s having one of the lowest COVID-19 mortality rates in the world as well one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates. COVID-19 has put a global spotlight on the importance of public health.
She said that even via Qatar Public Health Strategy, Qatar has made great progress on a wide of areas which play an important role in Qatar’s COVID-19 strategy in the upcoming World Cup –health protection and communicable disease, health promotion and non-communicable diseases, food safety and environmental health and other public health priority areas.
The minister said that she was proud of the way Qatar’s dedicated healthcare teams have risen to the challenge time and again to ensure that all patients receive the highest standard of care.
Under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar, the minister said, “I am confident that we have the expertise, experience and commitment within our healthcare community to achieve our goals.”
For his part Ghebreyesus said, along with Olympic Games, the World Cup is one of the world’s biggest events bringing people and nations together in celebration and competition. This World Cup comes with unique challenges being held against the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic. In preparation for the World Cup, WHO has worked with Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health to develop a programme of simulation exercises and views for mass gatherings. It focuses on stringent preparedness, health security, infectious diseases, food safety, coordination and communication. The lessons learnt from Qatar’s experience during this World Cup will help us all in designing health and safety measures for other large scale events.”
He further said, “It is a privilege to work with FIFA and Qatar in support of WHO’s mission to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.”
